. : : Christmas Roulette : : .

-DAY ONE-

Holiday cheer, the fresh aroma of an apple pie cooling on the open window sill, the coming new year, shining lights filling the night like a room full of dancing fireflies, dozens of glass balls decorating the branches of the newly decorated Christmas tree, snowmen with coal eyes and carrot noses scattered throughout the town, holly and mistletoe, and so much more. The smell of home baked cookies, gingersnaps and candy canes, eggnog by the warm fire, cuddled with your loved one waiting for Christmas day to come. The exchanging of gifts, a family get together, large meals, and all that's looked forward to during the holiday season, forgot one little boy.

This tiny child had never experienced such a thing as a 'Happy Christmas'. All he could remember of the date that came once a year was the same thing he remembered from every other day of his childhood. It was just another day for his parents to scream at each other, to threaten divorce and leaving without a goodbye, to break things in anger, and slam doors, just another day for them to hate each other and ignore the child they'd brought into the world. He'd never received a present, hadn't heard of Santa Clause until he started school, and never seen a Christmas tree until he made a friend. Axel never understood Christmas, but it was something he'd always wanted to have. But just any Christmas celebration wasn't good enough for him. He'd spent many Christmases alone; he wanted to have one with a loved one. He wanted to wish his special someone a Merry Christmas, hand him a well thought out gift, and cuddle by the fire with two cups of hot chocolate. And he'd finally gotten that chance.

After twenty two Christmases had passed him and several bad relationships, Axel had met the one. The blond was everything he'd ever wanted: kind, beautiful, spirited, and loving, the most amazing man in the world. Roxas was everything to Axel, and Axel thought he was everything to Roxas. But three weeks ago, Axel came home from picking up a Christmas gift for his beloved boyfriend, which he had spent weeks thinking about because he wanted it to be perfect. He was so excited to be having his first real Christmas with the man he loved more than life itself, but Roxas had other plans. He called Axel to the kitchen 'to talk', and told Axel he felt they should see other people.

Axel pushed his long red spikes back and sighed as he thought about the day his heart was ripped out, stomped on, and forgotten on the floor by his cherished boyfriend. Then he pulled a box down from the top shelf of the closet in his room he'd been staring at for several hours with one hand, while the other held a bottle of whiskey. He walked down the narrow hallway, stumbling a bit, as he made his way to the living room and sat down in his recliner. Rocking back and forth the redhead stared blindly at the box in his lap and took another swig of his whiskey. What awaited him in that box was something he'd been pondering ever since the blond took his love away from him. Somehow he'd always convinced himself not to do it, somehow he decided it would be better to keep breathing, somehow he was still here, and once again, alone at Christmas, a time of giving, caring, and being with loved ones.

Axel sighed again, and looked out the frosted window next to his green recliner. The lights were shining bright tonight. Christmas was so close that almost every house was decorated now, but Axel's was empty, the black hole in a sea of glowing stars. His head then rolled to his empty fireplace. He used to lie on the carpet in front of it, Roxas tightly held in his arms, sharing a small kiss here and there. But today he was alone and his house was cold, and deserted.

Axel placed his bottle of whiskey on the end table next to him then took a deep breath in, closed his eyes, and lifted the wooden lid of the box balancing on his legs with a small creak. Then letting his fingers glide over the soft velvet lining and across the cold piece of metal inside, he slowly let out the breath he was holding and opened his piercing green eyes. There it is the beautiful piece of stainless steel that would set him free, take his pain away, and make him no longer exist. You can't be alone if you're no longer in existence, right? When you don't exist, you can't feel, when you can't feel, you can't be alone. This weapon was his escape.

Using a miraculously steady hand, Axel pulled the nine and a half inch revolver out of its case, and handed it from one hand to the other, lazily examining it. He'd bought it before he met Roxas, at a time when he'd felt he couldn't go on any longer, and he needed an out. But on the day he went to pick up his new salvation, someone had other plans for him, someone sent Roxas to him. The blond was buying bullets for his rifle and spotted the dealer handing Axel the shiny new Smith & Wesson revolver. He immediately began interrogating Axel about what made him choose that specific gun. As it turned out Roxas had a fascination with firearms, and knew almost every detail about them. After finding out Axel didn't know anything, other than the fact that it was a cheaper gun than some of the other's he'd seen, Roxas demanded the redhead have lunch with him. One thing led to another, and the two had been dating for almost a year now.

But the past was the past, Roxas wasn't coming back to him, and he knew it. Axel wasn't the type to get hopeful, he knew it was over and nothing would change that. This time however, the relationship was not the only thing that was over. This time his life was over as well. Axel refused to spend another Christmas alone, so this Christmas he had invented a game.

It was simple really, one bullet and seven rounds in seven days. With any luck, he'd be dead tonight, if it came to the worst, he'd be dead on Christmas Eve. His steady long fingered hands loaded one bullet into the revolver, and then spun the chamber before lifting the gun to his head. Slowly, making the moment last as long as possible, Axel pulled on the trigger and…nothing; today was not his end, better luck tomorrow. With one last sigh, the redhead placed the gun back in its wooden box, rose from his recliner and placed it on top of his fireplace. "Day one of Christmas Roulette has come to a close." He said while staring at the box before he turned on his heels and headed to bed.

. : : ̉‰ : : .

I know this is incredibly short but let me explain.

This story began as a oneshot. It still is really, i just split it into seven parts because i thought it would make it a bit more interesting. Plus, if i kept it one chapter you'd have to read 17,261 words in one sitting.

So, this story will be seven chapters long, no more, no less. Towards the middle and end they will get longer. The layout of this story is that each chapter is one day.

For example:

Chapter seven of this story, which is being uploaded on Christmas Eve,

takes place on Christmas Eve.

I will be updating one chapter every day until Christmas Eve, at which point I won't have anything left to update.

The entire story has already been written. So very little can keep me from this plan.

I appreciate all reviews and look forward every single one of them.

Thanks for reading

And for

Any reviews, faves, and alerts